The Role of Digital Healthcare in Disaster Response and Relief

Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and wildfires often leave entire communities without the essential medicines they need. Disaster healthcare systems are only supported by telemedicine, Artificial Intelligence, E-Wrist band health trackers, EHR systems, planned drones, and Blockchain technology. During those scary moments, providing reliable and effective healthcare can change the region from violence to peace and death to life. 

These days, telemedicine and blockchain technology are being used in efforts to help with disaster relief worldwide. In industrialized regions, aid organizations, first-aid professionals, and physical medical equipment help, but these measures alone do not suffice in remote areas. Even in developing regions, aid methods and military support are provided during extreme situations, though integrated systems are where the real challenge lies. Robust systems warranty straightforward access to enhanced medical aid and assistance throughout the region.  Let’s dig deeper to find out how digital healthcare helps in such circumstances.

Challenges Of Healthcare During Disasters and Earthquakes

Let’s take a look at the challenges of healthcare during disasters:

• Wiped out healthcare facilities:

  One big problem is the damage to important medical facilities. During the disasters, the biggest problem that occurs is the destruction of medical facilities, limiting the providence of healthcare to the whole wide areas. When hospitals and clinics are destroyed, entire areas can be left without healthcare. In some cases, doctors and nurses are also affected, making it even harder to provide care when it's needed most.

• Lack of communication:

  Lack of communication services due to the disrupted phone and internet connections can complicate the response even more. Phone calls and internet connections may become non-operational during the disaster, which may put a restraining order on the coordination between health providers, emergency services, and even the government.

• Accessing patient’s record:

  Accessing the patients records during such crisis is another challenge. it's not like people think about gathering their medical documents while fleeing from the disastrous situation, wich makes it even harder for doctors. this problem can lead to several problems like wrong medication, wrong diagnosis, or delayed treatments etc.

Considering these obstacles, disaster management response and care given to patients can be dramatically improved with the implementation of digital healthcare technologies.

The Impact of Digital Healthcare on Disaster Response Activities

Digital healthcare is a game changer in terms of healthcare challenges during the pandemic, like disasters and earthquakes. Let's take a look at the impact of digital healthcare on disaster response activities:

Telemedicine - Providing Care in Disaster-Affected Areas 

Telemedicine is a valuable resource in disaster healthcare as doctors can provide care using video calls, mobile applications, and telehealth services. People can be treated even when they are far away from the disaster zone. 

This technology is convenient when patients cannot physically access healthcare facilities. As an illustration, once Hurricane Harvey struck the United States, doctors using telemedicine platforms could treat patients stuck in flooded areas. 

Telemedicine is also key in supporting people's mental health before, during, and after disasters. Trauma is often an outcome of crisis, and survivors and emergency responders need to learn ways to cope with stress, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Telecounseling services can assist in this regard. 

For a more detailed reading on the transformation telemedicine and other technologies bring to healthcare, see Digital Healthcare by Tedrick Bairn. 

Tools Powered by AI for Disaster Readiness and Predictive Analytics

AI is heavily relied upon in disaster response activities as data is analyzed to determine healthcare needs in times of crisis.

Predictive models powered by AI analyze past and real-time data to predict where a disease outbreak will happen next, what the at-risk population will look like, and how best to distribute resources.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, AI played a massive role in observing the infection spread and predicting potential infection hotspots. This let governments and healthcare institutions get a head start in preparing hospitals, medical personnel, and protective equipment for the hotspots before they got out of hand. AI is also used to predict the outbreak of diseases like cholera in flooded regions or respiratory diseases in areas with wildfires.

Medical Delivery Drones

In situations where roads are damaged or inaccessible, drones serve as a quick and effective means of delivering medicine to the affected areas. These aerial robots can deliver critical medicines, blood products, vaccines, and even some first-aid equipment to hard-to-reach places.

Wearable Technology-Go to Healthcare

Devices that monitor one's health, such as smartwatches and biosensors, are significantly helpful in disaster management. these devices allowed medical experts to monitor crucial parameters such as heartbeats, oxygen saturation, hydration, and body temperature from a distance.

In places where disasters have occurred, wearables can significantly benefit those suffering from chronic diseases and require constant care, even when healthcare centers are flooded with patients. 

Managing Patient's Data Through Blockchain 

One of the major issues when dealing with disasters is tracking patient medical histories, especially those of displaced patients. The system is computerized and uses blockchain technology for Electronic Health Records (EHRs), which can be accessed and stored easily and accurately. 

Access to healthcare shouldn't be impacted when people move for a variety of reasons.  No matter where they are, clinicians can quickly access a patient's medical history, including past treatments, allergies, and other health issues, thanks to blockchain medical data.

A more accurate diagnosis and speedier treatment are guaranteed by this approach.  Furthermore, blockchain technology guarantees the appropriate distribution of medical supplies and helps to avoid fraudulent activity.

 Adoption of blockchain-enabled health records can benefit disaster response teams since it has a direct impact on the accuracy and responsiveness of medical services in an emergency.

Relieving Disasters Using Advanced Digital Health Technology 

With the evolution of technology, healthcare services will increasingly complement the response to disasters. It is not unreasonable to consider the involvement of robotic AI in performing surgical interventions and triage, which minimizes the use of humans in dangerous environments. In addition, the rollout of 5G networks will improve the quality of telemedicine consultations, allowing virtual consultations even in zones affected by disasters. 

Final Words:

The use of digital health passports holds a great deal of hope for the future. They enable patients to have their medical records with them anytime and anywhere for faster treatments, which is especially important during cross-border disasters. 

Providing modern healthcare technology will further aid governments, NGOs, and health institutions in more effective responses to disasters, improving patient treatment and saving more lives. 

For more on the relationship between technology and healthcare, be sure to check out Digital Healthcare by Tedrick Bairn. It is the required reading for anyone interested in the digital transformation of medicine.